Microsoft SQL Server Compact 4.0 is a free, embedded database that software developers can use for building ASP.NET websites and Windows desktop applications. Download the documentation to learn about SQL Server Compact 4.0 and to build applications for it.

This book covers the product in full, including a chapter on Native development, and several chapters on replication. The main perspective of this this book is a DBA approach, with only a single chapter covering development per se. There are also useful chapters on security and performance tuning.

"Hitchhiker's Guide to Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition"For desktop developers diving into SQL Compact, the e-book by Bill Vaughn is an excellent introduction, which covers many aspects and pitfalls of developing with SQL Compact edition in a desktop application.